Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegrapiso’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Kuegrapiso’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; pinching is not required; freely flowering habit; light red purple-colored flowers; no requirement for cooling treatment for flower initiation and development; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium crispum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KUEGRAPISO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium crispum andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kuegrapiso’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new Pelargonium crispum plants withuniform growth habit and unique flower colors.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventors in Dresden, Germany in 2008 of two unnamed proprietaryselections of Pelargonium crispum, not patented. The new Pelargoniumplant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single floweringplant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germanysince August, 2009, has shown that the unique features of this newPelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kuegrapiso’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kuegrapiso’ as a new and distinct Pelargoniumplant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; pinching is not required.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Light red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. No cooling treatment required for flower initiation and        development.    -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the parentselections in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Pelargoniumare more freely branching than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium crispum ‘Angeleyes Light’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Pelargoniumdiffered from plants of ‘Angeleyes Light’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more compact and bushier        than plants of ‘Angeleyes Light’.    -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium had smaller leaves than plants        of ‘Angeleyes Light’.    -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Angeleyes Light’.    -   4. Plants of the new Pelargonium had smaller flowers than plants        of ‘Angeleyes Light’.    -   5. Plants of the new Pelargonium and ‘Angeleyes Light’ differed        in flower color as plants of ‘Angeleyes Light’ had light        purple-colored flowers with red purple-colored markings on the        upper petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Pelargonium plant. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kuegrapiso’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under culturalpractices which closely approximate commercial Pelargonium production.During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks oldwhen the photograph and the description were taken. In the detaileddescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium crispum ‘Kuegrapiso’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium crispum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium crispum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 25 days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 28 days            at temperatures of 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; creamy white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant habit;            broad inverted triangle; relatively short internodes, bushy            dense appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely            basal branching habit with about six to eight lateral            branches developing per plant; pinching is not required.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 11 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 9 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 12 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Deltoid.        -   Apex.—Emarginate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 143A; venation, close to 143A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 143A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in            rounded umbels arising from apical leaf axils; umbels            displayed above the foliage on moderately strong peduncles;            flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, aromatic.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about four to            six flowers develop per umbel and about 12 to 15 umbels            developing per plant.        -   Flowering season.—In Germany, plants begin flowering in the            spring and flowering is continuous throughout the summer and            into the autumn; plants do not require a cooling treatment            for flower initiation and development; early flowering            habit, plants begin flowering about 55 days after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.3 cm by 2.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 6 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl; two larger upper petals and three smaller lower            petals. Length: Upper petals: About 2 cm. Lower petals:            About 1.6 cm. Width: Upper petals: About 1.5 cm. Lower            petals: About 9 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire; upper petals, undulate. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 73C;            towards the base, close to 73A; venation, close to 73A;            color does not fade with development. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 73C; towards the base, close            to 73A; venation, close to 73A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 141B.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About            1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Mostly erect.            Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 139B.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1 cm.            Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle:            Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 77C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About five to seven. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament            color: Close to 69B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 155B. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 25B. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma            shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Style            length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 59B. Ovary color:            Close to 142B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Pelargonium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been    observed to be resistant to Puccinia pelargonii-zonalis and    Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii. Plants of the new Pelargonium    have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens    common to Pelargoniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named‘Kuegrapiso’ as illustrated and described.